PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Will Downing (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leandro Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Downing
vs
Rodrigues

180 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 2 - 1

175 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Will Downing!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leandro Rodrigues!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rodrigues swats away the attempt to clinch by Downing.
No luck for Rodrigues with that takedown attempt.
Downing is looking to clinch but Rodrigues is avoiding it.
Downing connects with a right hand. Rodrigues shakes it off.
Rodrigues shoots in for a double leg but Downing sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Downing instigates a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Downing.
Downing putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rodrigues in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Downing landing knees to the head.
Downing lands an elbow inside that Rodrigues shrugs off.

It looks like Leandro Rodrigues has been cut.
Downing misses with a knee strike.
Rodrigues is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Will Downing has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leandro Rodrigues.
Downing lands an elbow that stopped Rodrigues in his tracks for a moment.
Downing lands a damaging elbow.
Downing is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Downing comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Downing lands a good knee to the midsection. Rodrigues won't want to take too many of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downing lands an elbow inside.
A knee to the head by Downing.
Downing unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rodrigues lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rodrigues looks gassed!
Downing with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Downing unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rodrigues lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Downing lands a good knee to the midsection. Rodrigues won't want to take too many of those.
Downing landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Downing lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Rodrigues takes an elbow to the temple.
Downing content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Downing landing knees to the body.
Downing just leaning against Rodrigues, taking a breather.
Downing lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Downing utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Downing stalling against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downing landing knees to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Downing lands a nice knee to the body.
Downing lands an elbow inside.

That has opened up Leandro Rodrigues's cut even more.
Downing just leaning against Rodrigues, taking a breather.
Downing with a knee to the head.
Downing crunches a lovely knee into Rodrigues's ribcage.
Downing taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Will Downing.
Nice sprawl there from Downing as Rodrigues shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rodrigues.
A looping hook to the body misses from Downing. Rodrigues does a little dance to reset his feet.
Downing is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rodrigues swats away the attempt to clinch by Downing.
Rodrigues changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Downing tries to avoid it but Rodrigues manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Downing to the ground. Downing escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rodrigues circles away from the clinch attempt.

Downing rushes Rodrigues and presses him up against the cage.
Rodrigues takes an elbow to the temple.
Downing crunches a lovely knee into Rodrigues's ribcage.
Rodrigues takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rodrigues takes a knee right on the jaw!
Downing putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rodrigues in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Downing manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Downing lands an elbow just above Rodrigues 's eye.
Downing unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Downing slows down the pace here.
Downing landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Downing scores with a knee to the head.
Downing pressing his opponent against the cage.
Knees to the body from Downing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Downing connects with a knee to the head.
Downing leaning his opponent against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Downing dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Leandro Rodrigues's cut.
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.

Downing tries to clinch but Rodrigues moves out of range.
Rodrigues looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Downing is fending him off so far but Rodrigues persists. Nope, Downing circles away and we're back to standing.

Downing has managed to clinch.
Downing lands an elbow inside.
Downing landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Downing comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Downing is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Downing takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Knees in the clinch landing for Downing.
Rodrigues takes a knee to the side of the body.
Will Downing has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Rodrigues goes for a takedown in the clinch but Downing prevents it.
Downing crunches a lovely knee into Rodrigues's ribcage.
Rodrigues is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downing landing knees to the head.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Downing obliges.
Downing lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Downing putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rodrigues in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Downing.
Downing unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rodrigues lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Downing comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Rodrigues is trying to drag Downing to the mat but Downing just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Will Downing has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leandro Rodrigues.
Downing is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Downing gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Downing landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rodrigues takes an elbow to the forehead.
Downing working Rodrigues over with knees to the body.
Downing lands a nice knee to the body.
Downing unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Downing putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Rodrigues in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Rodrigues takes a knee to the side of the body.
Rodrigues takes a knee to the side of the body.
Downing prevents the takedown attempt.
Rodrigues takes an elbow to the temple.
Downing is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Downing lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Downing stalls.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Downing lands a knee to the body.
Rodrigues drops down looking for an ankle pick but Downing pulls his leg out and moves away.
Downing tries to clinch but Rodrigues is having none of it.

Downing has closed the distance and engaged Rodrigues in a clinch.
Downing is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rodrigues can do to turn this around?
Downing lands an elbow just above Rodrigues 's eye.

The cut above Leandro Rodrigues's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Downing pressing his opponent against the cage.
Downing landing knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Downing using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
The referee calls for Downing to work.
Downing lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Downing with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Downing connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rodrigues's face.
Downing lands an elbow that stopped Rodrigues in his tracks for a moment.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Rodrigues as Downing tries to tie him up.
Rodrigues is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Downing has Rodrigues pressed against the cage.
Downing missing with knees to the body.
Downing looking to throw knees to the head but Rodrigues is blocking nicely.
Rodrigues tries for a takedown but Downing manages to get underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Downing dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Leandro Rodrigues's cut.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Rodrigues looks for a takedown but Downing sprawls well.

Rodrigues closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rodrigues thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Downing keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Downing tries to get to full guard but Rodrigues has control of the leg.

Rodrigues 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Downing is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Downing trying to control from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rodrigues lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rodrigues moves nicely into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Downing tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rodrigues wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rodrigues trying to control the action but Downing is working from the bottom.
Downing takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Downing struggling a bit here.
Rodrigues lands a nice forearm strike.
Rodrigues lands a few punches from side control.
Rodrigues connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Downing some visible discomfort.
Rodrigues lands some shots froms side control.
Rodrigues lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Downing down.
Rodrigues tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Rodrigues is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Downing has escaped the position, nice work there.
Rodrigues has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Downing tries to buck Rodrigues off but Rodrigues is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues cracks Downing with a big elbow.

Rodrigues working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Rodrigues creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Rodrigues working the head and body with strikes.
Downing tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rodrigues wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Rodrigues is chipping away with strikes.
Rodrigues connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Downing some visible discomfort.
Downing is trying to get back to half guard.
Downing takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Leandro Rodrigues has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Rodrigues working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Rodrigues lands a few punches from side control.
Rodrigues working the ground and pound.
Downing takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Rodrigues landing strikes.
Rodrigues scores with a couple of short elbows.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rodrigues scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Downing to see if he's OK.
Downing takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rodrigues scoring with punches and elbows.
Leandro Rodrigues has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rodrigues grinds an elbow into Downing's temple.
Will Downing is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Downing is trying to buck Rodrigues off.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leandro Rodrigues comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Downing 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:26
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Downing!