PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between David Estes (ranked 4837 p4p, 4876 weight class) and Jean Pascal Rodin (ranked 466 p4p, 467 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Estes
vs
Pascal Rodin

187 cm
18
210
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
18
205
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, David Estes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jean Pascal Rodin!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Estes dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Estes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Estes avoids the head kick by Pascal Rodin.
Nice takedown defense from Pascal Rodin. No joy for Estes on that attempt.
Estes blocks a head kick by Pascal Rodin.
Pascal Rodin tries to move into range but Estes moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Pascal Rodin rushes Estes and presses him up against the cage.
Estes goes for a takedown attempt but Pascal Rodin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Estes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Pascal Rodin tries to counter with a clinch but Estes shakes him off and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Estes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pascal Rodin works over Estes's head and body with a nice combination.
Pascal Rodin on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Pascal Rodin darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Estes has his hands clasped together around Pascal Rodin's back. He's all about the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin is stalling here. Estes is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Pascal Rodin seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Estes has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Pascal Rodin is looking to regain half guard here but Estes keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Pascal Rodin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin being controlled for a moment.
Pascal Rodin tries to bench press Estes off him but Estes keeps the position.
Pascal Rodin wants to control but Estes postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pascal Rodin tries to buck Estes off but Estes is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin can't do much from the bottom here.
Pascal Rodin is looking to reverse the position.
Estes in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Estes blocks the strikes from Pascal Rodin.
Pascal Rodin sneaks back into half guard.
Pascal Rodin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Estes is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Pascal Rodin kicks off Estes and gets to his feet.
Nice uppercut lands for Estes. That snapped Pascal Rodin's head back.
Estes goes for a double leg but Pascal Rodin avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pascal Rodin continues to drive forward.

Pascal Rodin successfully pulls guard.
Estes trying to control the position from guard on top but Pascal Rodin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Pascal Rodin looking for subs off his back but Estes has passed one foot through into half guard.
Estes stops Pascal Rodin from getting back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jean Pascal Rodin will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Pascal Rodin cracks Estes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Pascal Rodin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pascal Rodin takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Pascal Rodin closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Estes to the mat! Estes manages to get full guard.
Pascal Rodin trying to control the position from guard on top but Estes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jean Pascal Rodin has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pascal Rodin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pascal Rodin is fighting to break Estes's control of his arms but Estes is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pascal Rodin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pascal Rodin keeps trying to improve his position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Pascal Rodin throws a strike but Estes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Pascal Rodin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Estes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Estes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Estes trying to control but Pascal Rodin is working from the bottom.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Pascal Rodin holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Pascal Rodin is looking for a triangle but Estes pushes his legs off easily.
Pascal Rodin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Pascal Rodin is trying to hold Estes in close to prevent damage but Estes has managed to pass into half guard.
Pascal Rodin tries to roll over but Estes keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin missing with punches from the bottom.
Estes prevents Pascal Rodin from standing back up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Estes throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Pascal Rodin stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Pascal Rodin scoring well with a low kick there.
Estes cracks Pascal Rodin with a good jab.

Estes looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pascal Rodin!
Pascal Rodin is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pascal Rodin is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pascal Rodin tries to escape but Estes is in control.
Pascal Rodin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that David Estes will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Estes looking to score a takedown here. Pascal Rodin is defending well but Estes drives through and ends up in Pascal Rodin's guard.
Pascal Rodin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Estes postures up.
Pascal Rodin looking to control but Estes passes into half guard.
Pascal Rodin is trying to get back to full guard.
Pascal Rodin wants to control but Estes is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Estes moves into full mount! Pascal Rodin won't be happy about that!
Estes tries to control but Pascal Rodin wriggling away.
Estes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pascal Rodin tries to lock up and control but Estes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pascal Rodin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Pascal Rodin tries to lock up and control but Estes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pascal Rodin squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Pascal Rodin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pascal Rodin tries to reverse the position but Estes maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Estes content just to control the position here.
Pascal Rodin tries to lock up and control but Estes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pascal Rodin bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Pascal Rodin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Pascal Rodin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pascal Rodin slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Pascal Rodin has gone for a leg lock! Estes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pascal Rodin's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Estes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Estes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... David Estes!
In his post fight interview, David Estes started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.