PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Maximus Meridius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cleto Rodriquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Meridius
vs
Rodriquez

185 cm
21
218 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

188 cm
29
210 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Maximus Meridius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cleto Rodriquez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodriquez keeps the fight on the outside.
Rodriquez fails with the takedown
and Meridius cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Cleto Rodriquez has been cut.
Meridius fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rodriquez moves away from the strike by Meridius.
Meridius throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Rodriquez counters with a single leg into guard. Meridius didn't expect that.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rodriquez advances position into side control!
Meridius on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Meridius tries to get out of the position.
Meridius gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Rodriquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Meridius blocking the ground and pound attempt from Rodriquez.

Rodriquez is working for a kimura but Meridius is defending it quite comfortably.
Meridius is not content to let Rodriquez control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriquez stops Meridius from getting back to his feet.
Meridius is looking to improve his position.
Rodriquez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Rodriquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Meridius defending well though.
Meridius wants to improve his position but Rodriquez is controlling well.
Rodriquez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Meridius keeps working.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.

Rodriquez seems to be working for a kimura but Meridius defends the submission attempt.

Rodriquez is working for a submission of some sort.
Meridius wants to control but Rodriquez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Rodriquez thows a huge punch but Meridius dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meridius is holding on to half guard well.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Meridius makes his way to full guard, as Rodriquez worked for a kimura.

Rodriquez has gone for a leg lock! Meridius slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rodriquez's guard.
Rodriquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Meridius stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meridius rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Rodriquez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Meridius won't be happy with that.
Rodriquez working away.
Rodriquez working the strikes but Meridius uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Meridius keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Rodriquez prevents Meridius from improving his position.
Rodriquez is thwarting Meridius's attempts to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meridius is not content to let Rodriquez control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Maximus Meridius will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Cleto Rodriquez's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rodriquez with a poor takedown
and Meridius cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Meridius connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rodriquez momentarily.
Rodriquez walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Meridius tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Meridius falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rodriquez counters with an outside leg kick.
Rodriquez moves out of range as Meridius strikes.
Rodriquez slips under a jab from Meridius.
Rodriquez uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Meridius.
Rodriquez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Meridius counters with a head kick.
Maximus Meridius is winning the standup battle so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodriquez takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Meridius.
Meridius tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rodriquez was well out of range. Poor timing from Meridius.
Meridius feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rodriquezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Meridius throws a low kick but it's checked well by Rodriquez.
Meridius misses with a wild combination.
Meridius swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Meridius misses with a wild body shot.
Rodriquez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Rodriquez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Meridius sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maximus Meridius has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cleto Rodriquez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meridius looks to land a left hand but Rodriquez moved out of range nicely.
Rodriquez slips a jab from Meridius.
Meridius misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Meridius fails to land with a series of punches.
Meridius throws a hook to the side of Rodriquez's head but Rodriquez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Meridius rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Rodriquez counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Meridius's guard now.
Rodriquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Rodriquez is in close to Meridius's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Rodriquez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Rodriquez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rodriquez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez tries to free his leg and advance position but Meridius is retaining full guard.
Rodriquez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Rodriquez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Meridius wants to sweep here but Rodriquez controlling him for the moment.
Meridius keeping moving, preventing Rodriquez from controlling successfully.
Rodriquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Meridius is keeping the position for now.
Rodriquez throwing strikes from guard but Meridius blocks nicely.
Meridius knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rodriquez on the ground.

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.
Rodriquez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rodriquez has gone for a leg lock! Meridius slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rodriquez's guard.
Rodriquez lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Meridius!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meridius tries to hold on but Rodriquez postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maximus Meridius dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Cleto Rodriquez's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Meridius thows a leg kick but Rodriquez checks it

and Rodriquez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rodriquez.
Rodriquez looking to sit in guard and control but Meridius gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rodriquez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Meridius gets to his feet. Rodriquez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Rodriquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Meridius counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriquez misses with a takedown
and Meridius counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Rodriquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Meridius throws a hook to the side of Rodriquez's head but Rodriquez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Meridius throws a sloppy head kick and Rodriquez moves out of range easily.
A slow jab from Meridius misses its intended target.
Meridius misses with a double jab.
Meridius feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Rodriquezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Meridius misses with a hook

and Rodriquez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Meridius's guard.

Rodriquez drops back looking for a leg! Meridius is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Meridius manages to kick Rodriquez off! Rodriquez jumps back into Meridius's guard.
Meridius is looking to stand up but Rodriquez isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meridius is pulling down on Rodriquez's head. It's preventing any offense from Rodriquez, at least for the moment.
Meridius tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rodriquez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Meridius's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez prevents Meridius from improving his position.
Rodriquez wants to pass to mount but Meridius is defending the position.
Cleto Rodriquez has got the better of the ground game so far.

Rodriquez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Cleto Rodriquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Meridius tries to kick Rodriquez off but Rodriquez keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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.

Rodriquez is working for a submission of some sort.
Meridius trying to control but Rodriquez postures up.
Rodriquez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Meridius tries to get to full guard but Rodriquez has control of the leg.
Maximus Meridius is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rodriquez stops Meridius from getting back to his feet.

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 Maximus Meridius.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Meridius, 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Maximus Meridius!