PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Rodriguez
vs
Williams

184 cm
23
210 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

188 cm
23
205 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Knockout power

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jose Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shane Williams!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, John Mangel and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Williams throws a series of punches but Rodriguez moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rodriguez tries to land knees in the clinch but Williams avoids the damage to the body.
Williams has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Rodriguez lands an elbow inside that Williams shrugs off.
Williams dodges an elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Williams's efforts to push away.
Williams wants to get back to striking at distance but Rodriguez won't allow it.
Williams lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Rodriguez backwards.
Nice elbow from Rodriguez.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Williams dodges an elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Williams avoids a wild elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Williams tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rodriguez's elbow.
Rodriguez misses with an elbow strike.
Williams tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rodriguez's elbow.
Rodriguez trying to land knees to the body.
Williams unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Rodriguez missing with knees to the body.
Rodriguez throws an elbow but it misses.
Williams lands a body shot.

Williams escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rodriguez tries to keep at a distance but Williams has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Williams avoids it.
Rodriguez with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Williams avoids the elbow strike from Rodriguez, against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Williams.
Rodriguez is breathing heavily.
Williams goes for a takedown attempt but Rodriguez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rodriguez takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Williams closes the distance and pushes Rodriguez back into the cage.

Williams breaks from the clinch.

Williams rushes Rodriguez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Williams unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rodriguez lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Williams breaks the clinch.

Williams has managed to clinch.

Williams pulls guard successfully.

Williams pushes Rodriguez off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Williams lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Williams gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rodriguez keeps control of Williams as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Williams blocks the elbow strike.

Williams gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Rodriguez tries to get out of the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Williams trying to control the pace.

Williams decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams fails in his attempt to clinch.
Williams moves in looking to clinch but Rodriguez pushes him off.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Williams as he jumps to the side.
Williams clobbers Rodriguez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Williams misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Williams swats away the attempt to clinch by Rodriguez.
Williams misses with a hook.
Rodriguez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Danga de danga de dang - Williams scores with a four punch combination!

Williams shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Rodriguez is looking to improve his position.

Williams decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Williams clinches but Rodriguez breaks the clinch

and Rodriguez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Williams ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Williams no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Williams wants to stand and escape but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Williams is controlling Rodriguez's posture.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Williams not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Williams is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Rodriguez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Williams wants to stand and escape but Rodriguez is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez throwing strikes but missing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Rodriguez takes the fight into the clinch.
Williams avoids a wild elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Williams blocks the elbow strike.
Rodriguez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Rodriguez lands a damaging elbow.
Williams pushes Rodriguez back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Williams has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rodriguez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Shane Williams has been cut.
Rodriguez throws an elbow that misses.
Rodriguez tries a knee to the head but Williams blocks it.
Rodriguez tries a knee to the head but Williams blocks it.
Rodriguez creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Williams's defenses.

Williams breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Williams keeps the fight on the outside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Williams fails with an attempt to clinch.
Williams scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Williams is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Williams swats away the attempt to clinch by Rodriguez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Williams dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Shane Williams's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Williams misses with the combination.

Rodriguez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Williams, pushing him back against the cage.
Williams is working for takedown but Rodriguez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rodriguez has Williams pressed against the cage, preventing Williams from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rodriguez as Williams tries to tie him up.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Williams tries to throw a body punch but Rodriguez avoids it by throwing Williams back against the cage.
Williams blocks the elbow strike.
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the head but Williams blocks with his arms.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Rodriguez just misses with a elbow thrown towards Williams's brow.
Rodriguez lands an elbow inside that Williams shrugs off.

Williams breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Williams tries to clinch but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Williams will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Williams closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Williams tries a knee to the head but Rodriguez blocks it.
Rodriguez lands an elbow just above Williams 's eye.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rodriguez.

Williams pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Williams is breathing heavily.
No joy there for Williams, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rodriguez fails in his attempt to clinch.
A combination from Williams does no damage.
Williams tries to clinch up

and Rodriguez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Shane Williams seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Williams wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rodriguez slowing the pace effectively.
Williams avoids the elbow strike from Rodriguez, against the cage.
Williams looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rodriguez comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Williams goes for a takedown attempt but Rodriguez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jose Rodriguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shane Williams.
Rodriguez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rodriguez lands a nice looking body shot.

Rodriguez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rodriguez lands an elbow inside.
Williams can't break the clinch.
Rodriguez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Williams's efforts to push away.
Williams wants to break the clinch but can't.
Williams is trying to stall.

Williams manages to break the clinch.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense.

Rodriguez clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rodriguez lands a damaging elbow.
Williams takes an elbow to the temple.
Rodriguez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Rodriguez comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Williams takes an elbow to the temple.
Rodriguez lands an elbow inside that Williams shrugs off.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Williams blocks the elbow strike.
Rodriguez comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Williams dodges an elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Williams misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Williams jumps guard and drags Rodriguez to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rodriguez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Williams's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez is looking to stand up but Williams won't let him.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Williams is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rodriguez stands up and waves to Williams to follow him.
Rodriguez steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Williams.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez staying out of range there.

Rodriguez moves into the clinch successfully.
Williams can't break the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rodriguez throws an elbow but it misses.
Williams takes an elbow to the temple.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rodriguez.

Williams pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Williams blocks a jab.
Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches up with Williams, looking for a takedown. Rodriguez pushes Williams against the cage but Williams circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Rodriguez forces Williams back against the cage and clinches.
Williams tries to land knees in the clinch but Rodriguez avoids the damage to the body.
Williams avoids a wild elbow strike from Rodriguez.
Rodriguez lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Williams blocks an elbow strike.
Rodriguez lands an elbow inside.
Rodriguez has Williams pressed against the cage, preventing Williams from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Williams stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Rodriguez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Williams lands a body punch in the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Williams.

Williams manages to break the clinch.
Williams scores with a nice right hand.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Rodriguez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams connects with a nice looking jab.
Rodriguez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Left hook, right uppercut from Williams.
No joy there for Williams, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Shane Williams seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Williams throws a front kick aimed at Rodriguez's knee but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Williams with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rodriguez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Williams won't be happy with that.
Rodriguez lands an elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Williams tries to bench press Rodriguez off him but Rodriguez keeps the position.
Rodriguez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Williams is trying to get back to half guard.
Williams is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rodriguez asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Rodriguez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Shane Williams's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rodriguez is looking to clinch but Williams is avoiding it.
Williams misses with a hook. Rodriguez ducked under it nicely.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up.
Rodriguez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Williams swivels and escapes.
Williams looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rodriguez is fending him off so far but Williams persists. Nope, Rodriguez circles away and we're back to standing.
Williams slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Williams has closed the distance and engaged Rodriguez in a clinch.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown. No joy.

Williams breaks the clinch.
Williams tries to clinch but Rodriguez is having none of it.
Rodriguez moves out of range of the body kick from Williams.
Rodriguez looks to throw the jab but Williams is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez wants to clinch
and Williams counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Williams might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Rodriguez tries to clinch but Williams moves out of range.

Rodriguez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rodriguez throws an elbow that misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Williams takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Williams gets control of Rodriguez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Williams will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Rodriguez is in close to Williams's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Rodriguez stopping the sweep attempt from Williams.
Williams is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rodriguez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Williams's head.
Williams wants to sweep but no luck.
Rodriguez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Williams is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Rodriguez is controlling him.
Rodriguez postures up and lands a big shot to Williams's brow.

Williams has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Rodriguez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Williams keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A telegraphed right hand from Rodriguez misses the target.
Williams tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rodriguez paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rodriguez closes the distance and clinches.
Williams lands with a light punch inside.
Rodriguez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Williams's efforts to push away.
Rodriguez misses with some punches.

Williams pulls guard.

Williams is working an open guard so Rodriguez takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Rodriguez clinches.
Rodriguez tries to land a knee to the head but Williams blocks with his arms.

Rodriguez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Rodriguez wants to control from the top but Williams keeps moving.
Williams looking for a sweep. Not yet Williams, not yet.
Williams throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Williams lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rodriguez!
Williams wants to control the pace but Rodriguez is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Rodriguez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Williams blocks the strikes from Rodriguez.

Williams stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Williams.
Williams looks to land a combination but Rodriguez avoids it well.
Williams throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Rodriguez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Shane Williams is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rodriguez swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Williams gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Williams tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rodriguez's elbow.
Rodriguez misses with an elbow over the top.
Williams has had enough of the clinch but Rodriguez keeps him there for the moment.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Rodriguez misses with an elbow strike.
Williams is trying to force a seperation but Rodriguez has the dominant position.
Rodriguez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Rodriguez content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Rodriguez throws an elbow but misses.
Rodriguez gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Williams working hard to break the clinch.
Rodriguez lands an elbow just above Williams 's eye.
Williams goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rodriguez prevents it.
Rodriguez looks to throw an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jose Rodriguez.
I think Rodriguez 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Rodriguez!