PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Pitney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cleto Rodriquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cleto Rodriquez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pitney
vs
Rodriquez

193 cm
25
205 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

188 cm
33
210 lbs
25 - 12 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Eddie Pitney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cleto Rodriquez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pitney with a poor takedown
and Rodriquez counters with an outside leg kick.

Rodriquez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Pitney looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Pitney tries to improve position but can't.
Rodriquez throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Rodriquez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pitney is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Pitney is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pitney takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
You can see the frustration on Pitney's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Rodriquez goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Pitney has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Rodriquez but great work by Pitney.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pitney tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Pitney has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Pitney goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Rodriquez rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Pitney's guard! Nice work there by Rodriquez!
Rodriquez stopping the sweep attempt from Pitney.
Rodriquez trying to control but Pitney is working from the bottom.
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.
Rodriquez throws a big elbow that misses.
Rodriquez throws a strike but Pitney rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rodriquez keeping full guard, as Pitney tries to pass.

Pitney postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Rodriquez is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Pitney, into his guard.
Rodriquez preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Rodriquez looking to pass the guard.
Rodriquez wants to control from the top but Pitney keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pitney is on top in guard.

Pitney stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Pitney misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Pitney fails with an attempt to clinch.

Pitney shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pitney showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pitney is looking to pass Rodriquez's guard but actually Rodriquez recovers to full guard.
Rodriquez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pitney.
Pitney trying to control but Rodriquez is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pitney slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
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 Eddie Pitney will probably get the nod.
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.

Nice takedown defense from Rodriquez. No joy for Pitney on that attempt.

Pitney gets caught napping as Rodriquez dives in and scores a takedown. Pitney manages to retain guard.
Rodriquez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pitney wants to sweep but no luck.
Rodriquez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pitney controls Rodriquez momentarily but Rodriquez frees himself.
Rodriquez throws a big right hand that misses.
Rodriquez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rodriquez passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Rodriquez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pitney knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pitney tries to bench press Rodriquez off him but Rodriquez keeps the position.
Pitney wants to control but Rodriquez postures up.
Pitney is looking for a sweep.

Rodriquez goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Pitney rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Rodriquez's guard! Nice work there by Pitney!
Rodriquez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pitney throws a big elbow that misses.
Pitney looking to sit in guard and control but Rodriquez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez throws a big right hand that misses.

Rodriquez has gone for a leg lock! Pitney slips out almost immediately though and dives into Rodriquez's guard.
Pitney wants to pass the guard but Rodriquez is keeping the position.
Rodriquez keeping moving, preventing Pitney from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pitney gets to his feet - Rodriquez follows without any prompting.

Pitney scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Rodriquez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Pitney is looking for a kimura but Rodriquez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pitney to get the leverage.

Pitney is working for an americana but Rodriquez has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Pitney was thinking about the submission.
Pitney throws a strike but Rodriquez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodriquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pitney looking for a sweep. Not yet Pitney, not yet.
Pitney throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Pitney wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pitney is on top in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pitney pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rodriquez is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriquez keeping moving, preventing Pitney from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Pitney dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pitney misses with a takedown attempt

and Rodriquez counters with a single leg into guard. Pitney didn't expect that.
Rodriquez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rodriquez connects with a couple of short punches.
Pitney 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.
Pitney bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rodriquez's guard.
Pitney with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pitney trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pitney wants to stand and escape but instead Rodriquez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pitney wants to get back to his feet but Rodriquez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pitney wants to sweep here but Rodriquez controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodriquez throwing strikes but missing.
Rodriquez preventing the sweep.
Pitney keeping moving, preventing Rodriquez from controlling successfully.
Rodriquez connects with a couple of short punches.
Rodriquez trying to control but Pitney is working from the bottom.
Pitney is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Pitney trying to keep a closed guard but Rodriquez is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Eddie Pitney has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Horrible takedown by Pitney or perhaps it was just good defense by Rodriquez which made him look bad.
Rodriquez slaps away a takedown attempt from Pitney, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Pitney. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pitney gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Rodriquez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pitney looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pitney utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rodriquez wants to control from the top but Pitney keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Rodriquez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pitney wants to control but Rodriquez passes easily into half guard.
Rodriquez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Rodriquez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rodriquez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pitney keeps working.
Cleto Rodriquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Pitney is defending against the submission attempts here by Rodriquez.
Eddie Pitney is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pitney tries to get to full guard but Rodriquez has control of the leg.
Pitney wants to control but Rodriquez is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pitney is trying to control but Rodriquez passes into side control!
Pitney tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Rodriquez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Rodriquez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Rodriquez wants to control for a moment but Pitney uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rodriquez wants to pass the guard but Pitney is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cleto Rodriquez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pitney 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Eddie Pitney!