PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ondrej Rigo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Terry Opdauhl (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Opdauhl has chosen Ludacris-Get Back as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rigo
vs
Opdauhl

170 cm
22
195 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
200 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ondrej Rigo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Terry Opdauhl!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Opdauhl misses with an uppercut. Rigo saw that one coming.
Opdauhl lands a nice shot that snaps Rigo's head back.

Rigo drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Opdauhl is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Rigo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Opdauhl struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rigo working away.

Rigo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
We've been hearing good reports from Rigo's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Rigo is trying to get an arm triangle but Opdauhl is defending well.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Rigo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Opdauhl is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Rigo 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.
Rigo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opdauhl is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Opdauhl wants to control the action here but instead Rigo manages to pass to full mount!

Rigo working for a submission but Opdauhl is keeping him at bay.
Rigo tries to control but Opdauhl wriggling away.
Opdauhl reaches up to try and control the position but Rigo seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Opdauhl rolls and tries to escape and now Rigo has his back!
Opdauhl breaks Rigo's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rigo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Opdauhl controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opdauhl wants to control from the top but Rigo keeps moving.
Opdauhl throwing strikes from guard but Rigo blocks nicely.

Rigo throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Opdauhl escapes and throws Rigo's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Opdauhl misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Rigo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Opdauhl landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rigo on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ondrej Rigo dominated that round.
That's time! Rigo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Opdauhl scores with a leg kick.
Rigo fails with a takedown attempt.

Opdauhl forces Rigo back against the cage and clinches.
A short body shot lands from Opdauhl as the two fighters clinch.
Opdauhl softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rigo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Opdauhl walks away with a smile on his face. Rigo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Opdauhl dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Rigo. That did some damage!
Opdauhl thuds a left hand into Rigo's body.
Opdauhl digs a good hook to Rigo's body.
Opdauhl cracks the inside of Rigo's front leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opdauhl scores with a body shot.
Opdauhl misses with a body shot.
Rigo walks forward, straight into a front kick from Opdauhl.
Terry Opdauhl seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Opdauhl lands with a nice body kick.
Good exchange - Rigo coming out on top.
Some wild striking there from Opdauhl.
It looked like Rigo wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Opdauhl lets loose with a powerful body kick. Rigo will feel that in the morning.

Rigo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Opdauhl looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Opdauhl gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Opdauhl is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opdauhl is concentrating on defense, preventing Rigo from advancing position.
Opdauhl moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rigo passes Opdauhl's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Rigo 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigo is thwarting Opdauhl's attempts to control the position.
Rigo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Opdauhl does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Opdauhl manages to get to full guard.

Rigo 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.

Rigo drops back, looking for a kneebar! Opdauhl looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Opdauhl looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Opdauhl!

Rigo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Opdauhl's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rigo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Opdauhl pulls his head out easily.
Opdauhl content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Terry Opdauhl showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rigo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Opdauhl tries to avoid it but Rigo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Opdauhl to the ground. Opdauhl escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Opdauhl tries to counter by closing the distance.
Opdauhl has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Opdauhl moves to clinch but Rigo breaks away

and Rigo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Opdauhl won't be happy with that.

Rigo tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Opdauhl is looking to regain half guard here but Rigo keeps moving and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Rigo swings around for an armbar but Opdauhl sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Rigo's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rigo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Rigo working for a triangle but Opdauhl defends it easily.
Opdauhl working some strikes from top position.

Rigo is looking for a triangle but Opdauhl pushes his legs off easily.
Rigo working a defensive guard here.
Ondrej Rigo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Opdauhl slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rigo is staying active underneath Opdauhl, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Opdauhl lands a nice short elbow.
Opdauhl working the head and body with strikes.
Rigo tries to get to full guard but Opdauhl has control of the leg.

Rigo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Opdauhl working over Rigo with some ground and pound. Rigo looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Opdauhl trying to control from half guard but Rigo is working away.

Rigo looking for submissions off his back.
Opdauhl sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rigo defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rigo is not content to let Opdauhl control the position.
Rigo on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Opdauhl is looking to take a break and control but Rigo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Opdauhl lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Rigo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Opdauhl pulls his head out easily.

Rigo actively working from the bottom here.
Rigo tries to roll over but Opdauhl keeps him under control.

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.
Opdauhl winds up and cracks Rigo with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Opdauhl seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Opdauhl looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Opdauhl keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Opdauhl trying to control from half guard but Rigo is working away.
Rigo is trying to control but can't.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Rigo looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Opdauhl drops an elbow to the side of Rigo's head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Opdauhl trying to control the action but Rigo is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Terry Opdauhl.
I think Opdauhl has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Terry Opdauhl!
A less than humble Terry Opdauhl misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.