PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Leandro Rodrigues (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tebato Nakara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodrigues's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, New Order Blue Monday. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rodrigues
vs
Nakara

175 cm
23
184 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

177 cm
23
177 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

ANABOLIC **160** and LAUNDRY

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 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Leandro Rodrigues!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tebato Nakara!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rodrigues shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Nakara is trying to defend but Rodrigues finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Rodrigues wants to take a breather but Nakara is having none of it.
Rodrigues 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.
Rodrigues is thwarting Nakara's attempts to control the position.
Rodrigues throwing shots but Nakara is blocking nicely.
Nakara wants to improve his position but Rodrigues is controlling well.
Rodrigues thows a huge punch but Nakara dodges it nicely.
Rodrigues trying to control from half guard but Nakara is working away.
Nakara tries to get to full guard but Rodrigues has control of the leg.
Rodrigues throwing shots but Nakara is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rodrigues wants to pass to mount but Nakara is defending the position.
Rodrigues stalling away here and it's allowed Nakara to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Nakara pulls Rodrigues in close to prevent any damage.
Rodrigues trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nakara looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rodrigues avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rodrigues trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nakara manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is trying to escape the mount.
Nakara landing punches.
Nakara sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rodrigues is bucking up trying to escape but Nakara cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakara looking to ground and pound but Rodrigues is blocking nicely.
Nakara throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Rodrigues wants to hold on but Nakara pushes him away.
Nakara lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Nakara prevents Rodrigues from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nakara wants to control the pace but Rodrigues is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is wriggling around trying to escape.
Nakara has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rodrigues is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Rodrigues tries to hold on but Nakara postures up.
Rodrigues is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Nakara throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Nakara dominating with strikes here.
Rodrigues wants to control but Nakara is having none of it.
Nakara unloading with bombs!
Rodrigues holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Nakara tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakara thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Rodrigues bucks Nakara off and manages to get back to his feet!
Nakara connects with the punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Nakara.
Rodrigues struggling a bit here.
Rodrigues tries to bench press Nakara off him but Nakara keeps the position.
Nakara tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nakara wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rodrigues, who protects the arm well.
Rodrigues wants to control but Nakara postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tebato Nakara dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rodrigues has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rodrigues there as he acknowledges the shot.
Rodrigues takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Nakara shoots in but Rodrigues avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Nakara gets a double leg takedown into Rodrigues's guard.
Rodrigues looking to control.
Rodrigues is pulling down on Nakara's head. It's preventing any offense from Nakara, at least for the moment.
Nakara content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Nakara drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Rodrigues manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Nakara has Rodrigues in his guard.
Tebato Nakara has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rodrigues wants to control from the top but Nakara keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rodrigues trying to control the position from guard on top but Nakara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rodrigues stopping the sweep attempt from Nakara.
Rodrigues engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Leandro Rodrigues wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Rodrigues waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Nakara.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues throws a hook to the side of Nakara's head but Nakara sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rodrigues moves away from the strike by Nakara.
Rodrigues throws an off balance right hand
and Nakara counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rodrigues takes one to the chin there.
Leandro Rodrigues seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nakara scores with a takedown into Rodrigues's guard.
Nakara wants to control from the top but Rodrigues keeps moving.

Nakara drops back looking for a leg! Rodrigues is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rodrigues manages to kick Nakara off! Nakara jumps back into Rodrigues's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakara looking to pass the guard.
Rodrigues is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rodrigues looking for a sweep. Not yet Rodrigues, not yet.
Rodrigues working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nakara.
Nakara wants to control from the top but Rodrigues keeps moving.
Nakara postures up in Rodrigues's guard and throws a big left but Rodrigues blocks it.
Rodrigues is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Rodrigues 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues is working hard here to advance position.
Nakara postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Leandro Rodrigues.
Rodrigues misses with a looping right.
Nakara tries to score a power double leg takedown but Rodrigues sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Nakara somewhat.
Nakara throws a good cross that connects.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rodrigues is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rodrigues throws a poor cross that misses
and Nakara counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tebato Nakara showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Nakara closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rodrigues circles away.
Nice defenses there by Nakara.
Rodrigues lunges at Nakara with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Nakara's hand.

It looks like Tebato Nakara has been cut.
Nakara smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nakara fails with the takedown
and Rodrigues counters with a stiff right hand.
Rodrigues misses with a straight right.
Rodrigues throws a lazy uppercut
and Nakara counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nakara looks to land a left hand but Rodrigues moved out of range nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from Rodrigues misses its intended target.
Rodrigues tries to clinch but Nakara is having none of it.
Rodrigues throws an overhand right that lands on Nakara's shoulder, as Nakara tries to avoid the shot.
A jab from Rodrigues does it's job there.
Nakara slips a jab from Rodrigues.
Nakara throws a hook but Rodrigues blocks it.
Rodrigues misses with a looping right.
Rodrigues is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Nakara.
Nakara is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Leandro Rodrigues has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rodrigues is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Nakara ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Rodrigues moves out of range of the strikes.

Rodrigues gets a double leg takedown into Nakara's guard.
Rodrigues throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nakara looking to control but Rodrigues passes into half guard.
Nakara trying to control but Rodrigues postures up.
Nakara regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rodrigues wants to control from the top but Nakara keeps moving.
Nakara lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Rodrigues!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakara is landing with some decent strikes but Rodrigues is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Nakara with a couple of short strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rodrigues keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Nakara throws some wild stikes that Rodrigues manages to avoid easily.
Rodrigues working to try and regain half guard.
Rodrigues wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Nakara.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rodrigues tries to hold on but Nakara pushes him away.
Nakara lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Nakara punching from mount but Rodrigues doing a good job of avoiding damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nakara postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Rodrigues looks a forlorn figure.
Nakara raining down hammerfists from mount.
Rodrigues tries to reverse the position but Nakara maintains control.
Rodrigues taking shots to the head.
Nakara trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Nakara lands a big elbow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nakara with good strikes from the mount here!
Tebato Nakara is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nakara content just to control the position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tebato Nakara comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nakara winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tebato Nakara!