PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tony Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Walkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rhodes
vs
Walkins

175 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tony Rhodes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jacob Walkins!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walkins connects with a high kick.

It looks like Tony Rhodes has been cut.
Walkins fails with an attempt to clinch.
Walkins misses with a combination

and Rhodes moves into the clinch.
Walkins keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Rhodes's efforts to push away.
Rhodes is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Walkins landing knees to the head.
Rhodes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Walkins tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rhodes's elbow.
Rhodes looking for a takedown.
Walkins goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A frustrated look appears on Rhodes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Walkins working aggressively here.
Walkins misses with some punches.
Rhodes blocks an uppercut.
Walkins tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rhodes's elbow.
Walkins lands a hook that snaps the head of Rhodes backwards.
Rhodes creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walkins has a couple of punches blocked by Rhodes.
Walkins throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rhodes blocks it with crossed arms.
Rhodes has Walkins pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Walkins manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rhodes jumps guard but Walkins turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Rhodes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Walkins lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rhodes jumps guard but Walkins stands there with Rhodes around his waist. Rhodes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Walkins connects with a knee to the head.
Walkins looks winded!
Walkins has a couple of punches blocked by Rhodes.
Walkins misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rhodes jumps guard but Walkins turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A head punch on the inside from Walkins fails to land.
Walkins swings wildly with an uppercut but Rhodes uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short right from Walkins.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Walkins.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walkins swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rhodes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Walkins tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Walkins fails to land.
Walkins with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Walkins throws a head punch that misses.
Walkins misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rhodes is trying to stall.

Rhodes breaks from the clinch.
Walkins avoids the head kick by Rhodes.
Walkins shoots in looking for a takedown but Rhodes manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Walkins's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Rhodes has Walkins up against the cage in a clinch.
Rhodes goes for a takedown attempt but Walkins pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rhodes drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Walkins is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Rhodes trying to control the position from guard on top but Walkins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Rhodes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Walkins, up you get!

Rhodes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Walkins did well to prevent Rhodes getting side control.
Walkins taking some punishment here, with Rhodes in his half guard.
Rhodes has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Rhodes wants to take a breather but Walkins is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Walkins!
Rhodes controlling the position easily from mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns Walkins that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Rhodes wants to take Walkins's back but he can't do it this time.
Rhodes wants to control the pace but Walkins is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jacob Walkins will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tony Rhodes'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.

Rhodes goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Despite the aggression on Walkins's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Walkins wants to clinch up but Rhodes keeps it at a distance.
Walkins wants to clinch.
A right-left combo lands from Walkins.
Walkins will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rhodes showed some decent athleticism there.
Rhodes wants to control but Walkins is keeping him busy.
Walkins is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rhodes is really struggling to control Walkins but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rhodes stands up and beckons Walkins to join him on the feet.

Walkins gets caught napping as Rhodes dives in and scores a takedown. Walkins manages to retain guard.
Rhodes with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rhodes passes Walkins's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Rhodes postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Walkins to stand up.

Rhodes is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Walkins's half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhodes is looking to take a break and control but Walkins is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rhodes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walkins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Rhodes pulls his head out easily.
Rhodes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Walkins keeps working.
Rhodes sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Walkins is not content to let Rhodes control the position.

Rhodes stands up out of the half guard.
Rhodes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Walkins can do to turn this around?

Rhodes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Rhodes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Walkins to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Rhodes pivots, looking for a leg kick but Walkins is out of range and Rhodes settles back down.
Rhodes swinging wildly here.

Rhodes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Walkins sprawls well initially but Rhodes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rhodes is keen to just control but Walkins is a slippery customer.
Rhodes works his foot free and advances to mount.
Rhodes tries to control but Walkins wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walkins is working to get back to half guard.
BOOM! Rhodes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Rhodes controlling his opponent.
Rhodes lands a big elbow.
Walkins is desperately trying to improve his position but Rhodes has a good base and remains in mount.
Rhodes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Walkins is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Walkins is in a horrible position here. Rhodes smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Rhodes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tony Rhodes's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Walkins throws a head punch that misses.
Walkins lands a knee to the head.
Walkins working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Rhodes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Rhodes clinches with his opponent.

Rhodes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Walkins fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rhodes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Walkins takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rhodes performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Walkins is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walkins is defending against the submission attempts here by Rhodes.
Tony Rhodes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rhodes is trying to control the action in half guard but Walkins is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Rhodes stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Walkins uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rhodes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Walkins! But no joy.

Rhodes instigates a clinch.
Walkins tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rhodes looking to throw knees to the head but Walkins is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes trying to control the position but instead, Walkins has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rhodes into the cage.
Rhodes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Walkins prevents the takedown attempt.
Rhodes changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Walkins fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Walkins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Rhodes gets the takedown into side control.

Rhodes tries for a kimura but Walkins is defending well.
Walkins is looking to regain half guard here but Rhodes keeps moving and retains side control.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Walkins throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Rhodes takes the fight into the clinch.
Rhodes can't find room to land a body shot as Walkins controls the action.

Rhodes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Rhodes closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Walkins's guard.
Rhodes works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Rhodes is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Rhodes seems to be working for a kimura but Walkins defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walkins is not content to let Rhodes control the position.
Walkins wants to get back to his feet.
Rhodes is trying to control. Walkins wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Walkins is trying to stand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Rhodes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rhodes 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 William Peck scores the fight 30:27
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Rhodes!