PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brett Rodgers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fedor Emelianenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fedor Emelianenko is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Rodgers
vs
Emelianenko

193 cm
18
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
23
229 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brett Rodgers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fedor Emelianenko!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Rodgers with that takedown attempt.
Rodgers fails with a takedown attempt.
Rodgers tries to clinch up.

Rodgers gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rodgers can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Emelianenko controls the pace.
Emelianenko wants to stand and escape but instead Rodgers has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Rodgers tries to free his leg and advance position but Emelianenko is retaining full guard.
Emelianenko is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Emelianenko wants to stand but Rodgers is controlling the position.

Emelianenko is looking for a triangle but Rodgers pushes his legs off easily.
Rodgers stopping the sweep attempt from Emelianenko.
Rodgers trying to control the position from guard on top but Emelianenko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Emelianenko looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Rodgers is fighting to break Emelianenko's control of his arms but Emelianenko is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Rodgers trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Brett Rodgers.
Emelianenko with a poor takedown
and Rodgers counters with a right hand to the body.
Emelianenko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Rodgers counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Rodgers has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Emelianenko looks gassed!

Emelianenko has an active guard here but Rodgers has managed to pass into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko wants to control but Rodgers is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rodgers sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Emelianenko defending well though.
Rodgers is trying to control. Emelianenko wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Emelianenko wants to control but Rodgers is keeping busy.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Fedor Emelianenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Rodgers tries to clinch but Emelianenko is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Emelianenko with a poor takedown
and Rodgers counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Brett Rodgers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fedor Emelianenko.
Rodgers lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A punch combination from Rodgers misses.
Rodgers throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rodgers wants to clinch.
Rodgers misses with a double jab.
Emelianenko fails with an attempt to clinch.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rodgers enables Emelianenko to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rodgers manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Rodgers dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rodgers swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rodgers tries to clinch but Emelianenko moves out of range.
Emelianenko with a poor takedown
enabling Rodgers to counter with a crisp jab.
Emelianenko falls off balance throwing a combination

so Rodgers counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Emelianenko wants to control the position but Rodgers says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Emelianenko is controlling Rodgers's trapped leg to prevent Rodgers from advancing to side control.
Rodgers keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Rodgers wants to take a breather but Emelianenko is having none of it.
Emelianenko is breathing heavily.
Rodgers moves nicely into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Emelianenko takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rodgers staying calm.
Rodgers's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Emelianenko is looking for a sweep.

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.
Rodgers wants to control but Emelianenko is keeping him busy.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Emelianenko sneaks back into half guard.
Emelianenko wants to control but Rodgers is keeping busy.
Emelianenko is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Rodgers is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Brett Rodgers has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Emelianenko with a lazy takedown attempt

and Rodgers counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rodgers.
Emelianenko keeping full guard, as Rodgers tries to pass.
Emelianenko pulls Rodgers in close to prevent any damage.
Rodgers trying to control but Emelianenko is working from the bottom.
Emelianenko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rodgers preventing the sweep.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Emelianenko tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rodgers sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Emelianenko somewhat.
Brett Rodgers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fedor Emelianenko.
Rodgers tries to clinch there but Emelianenko circles away.
Emelianenko throws a combination that misses
and Rodgers counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Emelianenko is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Rodgers thuds his right hand into Emelianenko's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Fedor Emelianenko seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rodgers tries to close the distance and clinch up but Emelianenko swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rodgers throws a combination. Emelianenko tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brett Rodgers dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Emelianenko shoots in and gets a takedown into Rodgers's guard.
Brett Rodgers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Emelianenko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Emelianenko trying to control but Rodgers is working from the bottom.
Rodgers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rodgers being controlled here, momentarily.

Emelianenko thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodgers pulls Emelianenko in to control the position.
Emelianenko tries to free his leg and advance position but Rodgers is retaining full guard.
Rodgers keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko is looking to stand up but Rodgers won't let him.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Fedor Emelianenko.
Rodgers wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Emelianenko doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rodgers counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rodgers is pushing Emelianenko up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Rodgers pulls guard.
Emelianenko looking to pass the guard.
Rodgers keeping moving, preventing Emelianenko from controlling successfully.
Emelianenko is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Rodgers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Emelianenko trying to control the position from guard on top but Rodgers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Fedor Emelianenko hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Emelianenko shoots and misses

and Rodgers holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Emelianenko fails to pull guard.
Brett Rodgers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fedor Emelianenko.
Emelianenko avoiding damage as Rodgers throws knees to the body.

Rodgers breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rodgers wants to clinch.
Emelianenko misses with a double jab

and Rodgers counters with a nice double leg into side control. Emelianenko won't be happy with that.
Brett Rodgers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Emelianenko is trying to get back to his feet.
A lull in the action here as Rodgers stalls from top position.
You can see the frustration on Emelianenko's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Emelianenko is trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brett Rodgers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Rodgers has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brett Rodgers!