PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Derek Rodney (ranked 4367 p4p, 3541 weight class) and Burt Craig (ranked 427 p4p, 379 weight class). The key to victory for Derek Rodney has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Rodney
vs
Craig

170 cm
26
205
3 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
212
2 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Derek Rodney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Burt Craig!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Santiago Holmes and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Craig tries for a takedown but Rodney sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rodney stuns Craig with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Rodney scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Craig doesn't seem bothered though.
Rodney connects with a looping right hand.

It looks like Burt Craig has been cut.
Craig needs to keep his hands up - Rodney had a free shot at his head there.
Rodney digs a good hook to Craig's body.
Rodney lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Craig backs up against the cage.
Craig changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rodney tries to avoid it but Craig manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rodney to the ground. Rodney escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Craig looks winded!
Rodney throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A shot to the liver by Rodney. Beautiful body shot.
Rodney works the jab nicely.
Rodney connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodney throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Craig takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Rodney has managed to clinch.
Rodney lands with a right to the head.
Rodney avoiding damage.
Craig can't get the takedown.
Derek Rodney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Burt Craig.
Rodney digs a right hand into Craig's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Craig's gas tank.
Rodney leaning against his opponent.
Rodney throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Craigs head.
A body shot lands from Rodney.
Rodney is leaning against Craig and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rodney stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rodney wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Craig has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodney slows down the pace here.
Still in the clinch, Rodney scores with a nice short uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rodney takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Rodney looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodney stops a takedown attempt from Craig.
Rodney lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Craig.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rodney lands a body shot.
Rodney lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Craig tries to score a body lock takedown but Rodney shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rodney works on Craig's body with a couple of short punches.
A left hand lands to the body for Rodney.
Good body shot from Rodney.
Rodney is leaning against Craig and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodney lands a right hand that snaps the head of Craig backwards.
Rodney stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Rodney throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Craigs head.
Rodney is leaning against Craig and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Rodney lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Craig backwards.
Rodney is struggling to control the position.
A right hook to the body lands for Rodney.
Rodney tries to break the clinch but Craig is controlling the position.
Rodney slows down the pace here.
Craig wants a takedown.
Nice body punch from Rodney - that landed with a thud.
Rodney lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Craig backwards.
Rodney lands an uppercut.
Rodney lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Craig or not.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Rodney.
Rodney looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodney pushes Craig back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
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!
A right handed body shot lands from Rodney.
Rodney presses Craig against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rodney tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Craig's elbow.
Nice body punch from Rodney - that landed with a thud.
Rodney digs a right hand underneath Craig's ribcage. Craig let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rodney lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Craig.
Rodney lands with a left to the head.
Rodney lands an uppercut.
Craig keeps control of Rodney as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A short left from Rodney.
Rodney scores with a hook to the body.
Rodney pushes Craig back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rodney stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rodney lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Derek Rodney dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Burt Craig's cut.
That's time! Rodney's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Good exchange - Rodney coming out on top.
Rodney shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Craig eats them both and turns towards Rodney to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Craig dodges the punch combination from Rodney.
A little jabbing left from Craig on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rodney throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
No luck for Craig with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodney bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

That has opened up Burt Craig's cut even more.
Derek Rodney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Craig takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Craig is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodney misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Craig.
Rodney with a hook.
Rodney cracks Craig with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Rodney connects with a right that clearly hurt Craig. He's backed up against the cage with nowhere to go as Rodney proceeds to tee off with vicious combinations till Craig collapses and taps out under the pressure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Derek Rodney!
Burt Craig was interviewed post fight and said 'Kick a fucking bucket.'.