PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rogelio Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hannibal Trajan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Trajan has chosen Drowning Pool - Bodies (Let The Bodies Hit The Floor) as his entrance music. Hannibal Trajan will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Rodriguez
vs
Trajan

180 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

183 cm
20
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

[JMFC] 160!

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rogelio Rodriguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Hannibal Trajan!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriguez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Trajan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Trajan tries to clinch up but Rodriguez circles away and keeps his distance.
Rodriguez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Trajan circles away.
Rodriguez showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Trajan.
Some wild striking there from Trajan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trajan wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriguez moves out of range of the body kick from Trajan.
Trajan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Trajan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rodriguez fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rogelio Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rodriguez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Rodriguez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Trajan missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Trajan wants to control from the top but Rodriguez keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Rodriguez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Trajan looking to sit in guard and control but Rodriguez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Trajan working for a triangle but Rodriguez defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Trajan's head.
Rodriguez with a nice head shot there.
Rodriguez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rodriguez distracts Trajan with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rodriguez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Trajan can't keep his opponent in guard - Rodriguez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Rodriguez throwing shots but Trajan is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez controlling the pace.
Rodriguez passes to side control.
Rodriguez in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Rodriguez in side control, throwing shots but Trajan defends.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Trajan tries to bench press Rodriguez off him but Rodriguez keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogelio Rodriguez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Trajan misses with a jab, cross combination.

Trajan darts in and clinches Rodriguez up against the cage.
Rodriguez jumps guard but Trajan stands there with Rodriguez around his waist. Rodriguez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Trajan misses with an elbow strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rodriguez tries for a takedown. No joy.
Trajan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rodriguez.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Trajan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Trajan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Trajan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Trajan tries a knee to the head but Rodriguez blocks it.

Rodriguez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Rodriguez throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Trajan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rodriguez seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Rodriguez looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodriguez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rodriguez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rodriguez lands a couple of elbows.
Trajan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rodriguez.
Trajan wants to sweep here but Rodriguez controlling him for the moment.
Rodriguez advances to half guard.
Rodriguez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Trajan won't allow Rodriguez to pass to mount.
Rodriguez is working hard here to advance position.
Trajan works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez chips away with some ground and pound.
Trajan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rodriguez wants to control from the top but Trajan keeps moving.
Trajan is trying to control the position but Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez stands up over Trajan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Rodriguez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rodriguez throws and elbow that misses. Trajan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Rodriguez's guard. Nice move by Trajan!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Trajan stopping the sweep attempt from Rodriguez.
Trajan trying to control but Rodriguez is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rodriguez looking for a sweep. Not yet Rodriguez, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogelio Rodriguez dominated that second round.
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!

Trajan moves in looking to clinch but Rodriguez pushes him off.
Trajan misses with a straight left.
Rodriguez swats away the attempt to clinch by Trajan.
Rodriguez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rodriguez tries to clinch up but Trajan circles away and keeps his distance.
Hannibal Trajan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodriguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rodriguez has a takedown stuffed.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Trajan tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Rodriguez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Rodriguez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rodriguez stops Trajan from standing up.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Trajan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodriguez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Rodriguez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriguez wants to control from the top but Trajan keeps moving.
Trajan is trying to control the position but Rodriguez postures up.
Rodriguez trying to control the position from guard on top but Trajan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Trajan closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Rodriguez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Trajan as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Trajan connects with a good right hand that stumbles Rodriguez. Rodriguez circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Rodriguez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rogelio Rodriguez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rodriguez shoots in and drives through. Trajan sprawls well.
Rodriguez fails with a takedown attempt.

Trajan clinches up with Rodriguez and pushes him back against the cage.
Trajan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rodriguez blocks it with crossed arms.
Hannibal Trajan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Rodriguez avoiding damage as Trajan throws knees to the body.
Trajan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Trajan stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Trajan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Trajan throws an elbow that misses.
Trajan avoiding damage.
Trajan trying to stall but Rodriguez improves his position.
Rogelio Rodriguez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Trajan is persisting with his attempts to control the action in the clinch, rather than do any real damage.
Rodriguez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Trajan tries to stall but Rodriguez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Trajan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rodriguez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Trajan smiles and moves away.
Trajan tries to clinch

and Rodriguez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Trajan won't be happy with that.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rogelio Rodriguez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rodriguez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

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