PBP Commentary

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

Flowers
vs
Inhosa

209 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

193 cm
18
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Roderick Flowers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joao Inhosa!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Inhosa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Flowers sprawls well. Flowers wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Inhosa gets slowly back to his feet.
Flowers fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Roderick Flowers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Flowers drives through and clinches with Inhosa against the cage.

Flowers breaks the clinch.

Flowers clinches up against the cage.
Inhosa throws a knee to the head but misses.
Flowers wants to break the clinch but can't.
Flowers is trying to break the clinch but Inhosa has him pressed against the cage.
Inhosa lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Roderick Flowers has been cut.
Flowers is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Inhosa jumps into guard, dragging Flowers to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Inhosa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Flowers can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Flowers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Flowers throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Inhosa looking for a sweep. Not yet Inhosa, not yet.

Inhosa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Flowers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Inhosa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Flowers gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhosa looks for a takedown but Flowers sprawls well.

Flowers fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Inhosa, pushing him back against the cage.
Flowers is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Inhosa is keeping busy.
Flowers has had enough of the clinch but Inhosa keeps him there for the moment.

Inhosa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Inhosa shoots for a takedown but Flowers saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Roderick Flowers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Inhosa.

Flowers fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Inhosa, pushing him back against the cage.

Inhosa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Flowers throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Inhosa's waist but Inhosa gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Flowers off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flowers dives in for a single leg takedown but Inhosa sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Flowers has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Inhosa avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Inhosa has Flowers pressed against the cage, preventing Flowers from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Inhosa unloads a knee to the mid-section. Flowers lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Inhosa wants a takedown.
Flowers really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Flowers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Inhosa has him pressed against the cage.
Inhosa drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Flowers tries to circle away but Inhosa has him pinned against the cage.

Inhosa breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Inhosa.

Inhosa has Flowers up against the cage in a clinch.
Flowers wants to break free but Inhosa has control.

Inhosa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Inhosa fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Inhosa misses with a takedown attempt
and Flowers counters with a two punch combo.
Inhosa looks winded!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Flowers swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Flowers shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roderick Flowers dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roderick Flowers's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Inhosa shoots in and drives through. Flowers sprawls well.
Inhosa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Flowers defends well and Inhosa ends up having to push Flowers into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Inhosa manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Inhosa comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Flowers wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Inhosa trying to land knees to the body.
Inhosa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Flowers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Inhosa has him pressed against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Inhosa.
Flowers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Inhosa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Roderick Flowers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Inhosa.
Flowers is looking to break free of the clinch but Inhosa has double underhooks.
Flowers tries to break free but Inhosa pushes him back against the cage.
Flowers is trying to force a seperation but Inhosa has the dominant position.
Flowers is trying to drag Inhosa to the mat but Inhosa just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Inhosa prevents Flowers from breaking the clinch.
Flowers has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Flowers working hard to break the clinch.
Flowers will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Inhosa up against the cage.
Inhosa fails to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhosa is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Inhosa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Flowers can't break the clinch.
Flowers being controlled against the cage.
Flowers wants to break free but Inhosa has control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flowers wants to get back to striking at distance but Inhosa won't allow it.
A right hand to the body from Flowers.

Flowers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Inhosa stuffs the takedown attempt from Flowers. Flowers gets slowly back to his feet.

Flowers moves into range and clinches up with Inhosa.
Inhosa lands a damaging elbow.
Inhosa stalling against the cage.
Flowers is trying to break the clinch but Inhosa has him pressed against the cage.

Inhosa jumps guard and drags Flowers to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Inhosa has Flowers pulled in close to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inhosa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Inhosa managing to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Flowers throws a strike but Inhosa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Inhosa trying to control but Flowers is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Roderick Flowers will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Roderick Flowers's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Flowers misses with a looping right.

Flowers gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Flowers is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Inhosa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Flowers tries to break the clinch but Inhosa is controlling the position.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Flowers wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Inhosa has him pressed against the cage.
Flowers wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Inhosa looking for a takedown.
Flowers is trying to force a seperation but Inhosa has the dominant position.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flowers has had enough of the clinch but Inhosa keeps him there for the moment.
Inhosa gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Inhosa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Inhosa has Flowers pressed against the cage, preventing Flowers from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Flowers is looking to break free of the clinch but Inhosa has double underhooks.
Flowers is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Flowers wants to break free but Inhosa has control.
Flowers wants to get back to striking at distance but Inhosa won't allow it.

Flowers breaks from the clinch.

Inhosa clinches up with Flowers and pushes him back against the cage.
Inhosa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Flowers wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Inhosa lands a hook to the side of the head.
Flowers tries to circle away but Inhosa has him pinned against the cage.
Flowers looking to stall.
Inhosa lands an elbow just above Flowers 's eye.

Roderick Flowers's cut is getting worse.
Flowers has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Inhosa prevents Flowers from breaking the clinch.
Inhosa lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Flowers goes for a takedown attempt but Inhosa pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Flowers has Inhosa up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flowers wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Inhosa lands a damaging elbow.

Roderick Flowers's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Inhosa is looking to take this one to the mat.
Roderick Flowers has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joao Inhosa.
A head punch on the inside from Flowers fails to land.
Inhosa connects with a nasty looking knee right to Flowers's face.

Flowers is rocked!

Inhosa pulls Flowers into guard.
Oh Flowers is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Flowers will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Flowers avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Inhosa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Flowers wants to control from the top but Inhosa keeps moving.
Flowers has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Inhosa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Inhosa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Inhosa will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Inhosa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Inhosa missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Inhosa passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Flowers!
Inhosa controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Inhosa cracks Flowers with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Inhosa punching from mount but Flowers doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Inhosa lands with some strikes.
Flowers in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Flowers wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Inhosa.
Inhosa is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Flowers tries to improve his position but instead Inhosa has taken his back!

Inhosa looking for the choke but no joy.

Flowers is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Inhosa controlling from the back.

Inhosa working for the choke.

Inhosa is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Joao Inhosa has got the better of the ground game so far.

Flowers preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Inhosa.

Inhosa is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Flowers has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Flowers seems to have got his legs back now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Inhosa looking for the choke but no joy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joao Inhosa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Flowers 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roderick Flowers!